There are many ways to celebrate the year coming to a close, from spending time with family and friends to jumping into your favourite game. And while many games are sitting in my backlog, crying out to be played, December is a time to return to some favourites and soak up that holiday cheer thanks to some of the most feel-good in-game events around.
With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of some of the best In-Game Christmas Festivities players can participate in to truly get into that holiday spirit and end 2022 on the best possible gaming note.
The Best In-Game Christmas Festivities
Guild Wars 2 – A Very Merry Wintersday (Ends 3 January)
It’s no secret that one of my favourite games is Guild Wars 2, and over the December period, the game has been my home. A Very Merry Wintersday is an annual event that brings the celebration of Wintersday back to Tyria.
This in-game event offers so many ways for players to participate that it’s almost impossible not to fall in love. From handing out Wintersday gifts to orphans to playing bells in a choir, hitting friends and foes alike with snowballs to helping to fort a Toypocalypse, there is something for everyone.
And the event also happens to be home to one of the most enjoyable jumping puzzles the game offers.
Fortnite – Winterfest (Ends 3 January)
Fortnite was one of the gaming world’s most unprecedented successes of the last decade. The game has revolutionalised the battle royale genre and amassed a fan base that attracts players from all walks of life.
Winterfest is one of the most festive feeling and rewarding in-game events around. It’s dripping with nostalgia, Christmas-themed goodies, cosmetics and presents galore.
Apex Legends: Holo-Day Bash (Ends 7 January)
Apex Legends is known for having great in-game events that relate to each hero’s quirky nature, and Holo-Day Bash is one of the best.
Players participating in this event can expect several challenges, offering weapon wraps, hero skins, and even Christmas-themed emotes. On top of this, the game will also release themed map locations, loot points, and different game-mode iterations, posing the possibility of continuous entertainment with friends this Christmas.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege – Snow Brawl (Ends 4 January)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege isn’t a game you would think would go all out for the holidays, but man, oh man, would you be wrong. Snow Brawl is an exceptional Christmas event within Rainbow Six Siege. It offers players the chance to unlock exclusive holiday-related cosmetic bundles.
These bundles include operator skins, weapon wraps, and charms can all be achieved through their limited-time capture-the-flag mode, ‘Snow Brawl’.
Back 4 Blood: Christmas in Fort Hope (Ends 4 January)
While Back 4 Blood felt lacking for me when the game was first released, I’ve found myself constantly returning to it to experience all of the in-game events, and the Christmas event is no different. Back 4 Blood: Christmas in Fort Hope is almost identical to the game’s first Christmas event. Players can obtain limited-time cosmetic items through Supply Points by visiting 34th Street Supply Line.
These supply points will contain cosmetic items like Emblems, Sprays, Titles, weapon skins, and Item Set parts. In addition, Fort Hope is fully decorated for the Christmas season.
Dead By Daylight: Bone Chill (Ends 4 January)
What could be more perfect than Christmas in Dead by Daylight? The juxtaposition of happy little snowmen and horror touches me to my core. Bone Chill is an annual festival best described as a Winter-themed in-game Event.
Players can expect intractable Snowmen to pop up in the game to spread joy to Killers and Survivors alike. There is also a unique event themed Tome that is separate from the regular Tome, but also grants progress in The Rift and completing the challenges rewards players with special Cosmetics and unique Lore entries.
Destiny 2: The Dawning (Ends 3 January)
As a new Destiny 2 player, this seasonal event gives me all the holiday feels. A couple of seasonal events rotate out annually in the game, each with its own activities, quests, and rewards. However, The Dawning, with its themed free-for-all events, is a great way to get in the holiday spirit and earn some awesome rewards while at it.
Each year The Dawning event in Destiny 2 spreads holiday cheer by covering the Tower with Christmas decorations and bringing back seasonal vendors and quests. This year The Dawning has two new quests, an event card and event challenges.
GTA 5 – Festive Surprise (Starts 22 December)
Somehow, GTA 5 has managed to grow from strength to strength, and from its story mode to its infamously lawless online mode, there are little fans of the game who haven’t found themselves in love with.
Still, the annual Festive Surprise event is wildly considered the cherry on top and some of the best content the game offers. Players can expect all the trimmings this year, from brand-new ugly sweaters to snow and even Christmas-theme jobs.
Overwatch 2: Winter Wonderland (Ends 4 January)
Through all its highs and lows, Overwatch remains a classic FPS game and a great game to head into with friends when you want to have a great time together.
Winter Wonderland is an annual event carried from the first Overwatch game. Over the years, it cemented itself as one of the greats. Players can expect major map overhauls, new PVP and PVE modes and more Christmas cosmetics than their hearts could even desire.
Valorant – Snowball Fight (Ends 11 January)
Since its release in 2020, Valorant has repeatedly been hitting it out of the park, and its festive update is no different. As the name of the update suggests, players will be receiving a Christmas-themed gun buddy to attach to their load-outs, turning even the messiest of deathmatches into a joyful snowball fight you don’t want to miss.
Alongside Agents battling it out with snowballs, there are Christmas-themed Agent skins to wear in-game and other festive collectables to unlock.
Overcooked! 2 – Kevin’s Christmas Cracker (Ends 4 January)
Overcooked! 2 has been bringing the Christmas spirit to players since 2018. Since then, year after year, the annual event has just become more chaotic and more fantastic and has become of my favourite ways to spend a day with friends.
Players can experience five Christmas-themed kitchens alongside three luscious new recipes during the festivities. There will also be two new chef skins to unlock and a new ultra-turbulent new practice mode.
If being thrust into a busy kitchen and completing tasks within short time frames while also trying to ace your communication doesn’t screen “Christmas!” I don’t know what does.
These are some of our favourite ways to celebrate the holiday season in-game, but it’s far from a fully comprehensive list. If your favourite holiday event is missing and you think we should check it out, then tell us about it in the comments below and let’s all share in the holiday spirit.